The "Fair" Sex in LotR

[Child of the 7th Age]

Many critics have accused Tolkien of failing to offer the reader compelling images of women. Peter Jackson felt it necessary to expand the role of Arwen, much to the dismay of many fans, to maintain a strong female presence in the movie. Even on this board, there have been discussions on such issues as the relatively few mothers found in the story and what this absence signifies.

I think most of us would agree that blanket statements about the "lack" of women in the Lord of the Rings are inaccurate and unfair.

Yet is there an element of truth here? Was Tolkien as successful in depicting female characters as he was in depicting male ones? Given that the author was born into an earlier world than the twenty-first century, were there differences in the way he viewed men and women, and their roles? Did this influence his writings in any way?

Do you personally feel comfortable with how he handled female characters in the LotR?

And, finally, what is the nature and extent of feminine influence and tone in the Lord of the Rings? Are there aspects of Tolkien's female characters that have been inadvertently overlooked or misunderstood?

NOTE: This topic grew out of the Two Frodos thread. This thread suggested that few had recognized how Frodo had responded to the women he met with admiring words that went beyond simple politeness. These sweet, simple responses bordered on sensual appreciation (not sexual). This was particularly true in Frodo's response to Goldberry, where he recited a poem of admiration, but then blushed and stammered in embarassment. We thought that perhaps other significant aspects of female characters had also been overlooked.